A lethal injection. Being compared to torture that convicted killer that would not die in Arizona. And now the death penalty once again under scrutiny. When I'm -- -- -- in New York. The execution of inmate Joseph -- was supposed to take a few minutes quickly painlessly. That is not the -- haven't. Contreras reports from Washington. The lethal injection of Joseph Rudolph would should've taken about ten minutes instead it took 117. So long that they convicted -- attorney filed an emergency appeal with the US Supreme Court. Would died in the court rejected that appeal. What was sentenced to death by lethal injection for murdering a father and daughter in cold blood in 1989. A reporter for the Associated Press witness woods XEQ -- And describe -- as nerve wracking because it went on so much longer than expected I -- toppling more than connect bass door. During that nearly two hours that. It took for him to die. But I'm she -- the dated so all we heard very occasionally lists him snoring. The victim's family had no sympathy for how the execution transpired. And they were furious with the attention given to would. Everybody is more worried about didn't suffer. Who really suffered was my dad and -- sister when they were killed. Would lose the first death row inmate in Arizona to receive the new two dose lethal injection protocol. -- particularly deadly cocktail was used in the April execution of Clayton -- -- in Oklahoma. But when it appeared that lethal injection is not working there the director of the State's department of corrections stopped the -- accused -- 43 minutes after the first drugs were given -- died of an apparent massive heart attack. Now the fierce debate over capital punishment has been reignited by yet another flawed execution. Karen Travers ABC news Washington. Want to bring in now from Washington ABC's senior justice correspondent Pierre Thomas. -- want to ask you about this what was the method that was used in this particular case. Whether using a new combination of drugs. That has been applied ever since in the European pharmaceutical companies. Decided a while back to no longer provide these drugs to American states using capital punishment. So one of the complaints that the critics have is that they don't know enough about these drugs and that they hadn't been tested enough. To know actually how they're going to. Be administered on a patient. Now woods legal team argued that he had a right to know what drugs were being used. So what that the state keep this combination -- secret. Well they knew what the combination of drugs where they'd. Wanted to know more about the amount and they also wanted to know more about who the manufactures work. And partly reason why apparently the state wants to keep that secret is. They don't want those companies to come under pressure from the public or from the people that are against the definitely. Let me ask -- also -- what reporter that was witnessed counted and that would have gasped for air. More than 600 times during the procedure in -- the procedure tickets so what -- lawyers. At times you -- an emergency court motion to try to have -- stopped. Has this ever happening before. Well -- been other cases involving the electric chair where it's taken a considerable time for. And an inmate to die but this one has caught the public's attention because the -- the time. It now in this case we're we're hearing -- -- -- have been being being discussed in this cruel and unusual punishment clause. It's a -- -- -- his eighth amendment right was violated as this case is that bolster the anti death penalty movement. Well some are taking it that way. Clearly the link that time is of concern the governor of Arizona talked about -- that she was concerned about the length of time. But -- that the medical professionals that he did not suffer that is simply took a long time for him to die. So that is going to -- debated the attorneys for wood -- saying that. Because the process took so long because he was struggling to breathe so long there was cruelty. And unusual and they are maintaining that the constitution. Provides that. -- death penalty case must be administered in a way that's quick and not cruel or unusual. Given that -- what has the Arizona governor Jan Brewer said about this case. Well again she said that she was concerned about the -- time. But that this man did not suffer she still ordered a review to find out precisely why it took so long to KO. Would. ABC's Chief Justice correspondent Pierre Thomas in Washington with the latest on that here thank you always appreciate it. You can keep up with the story real time by downloading ABC news -- -- historic Fort -- updates on the go for now though. I'm -- that's earning.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

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